Ballroom in Disguise
by Von Bordeaux
Summary: Dark romance, heavy music, swaying hips, pleasure aboard; welcome to the nightclub of mischief, where nothing is what it seems and the King awaits his prey. A recreated ballroom , but this time, he's not letting her go...
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it with a can of cola as my best friend at 2 in the morning.

Disclaimer- Hmm, let me think... if I somehow marry a descendant of Jim Henson, then technically the labyrinth and the studio company would all be...alright fine, I don't own anything.

--oOo--

Opening night

Sarah beamed down onto the audience as the velvet curtain began to fall down upon her. They stood up to applaud; her parents, school friends, people she'd not even been in friendly terms with all came to support her. Even Broadway actress and part time mother Linda had flown over to the central theatre from her busy schedule to witness her first major performance piece.

Sarah couldn't have been happier. Surrounded by the people who loved and supported her passion. But as she scanned over the mass of people under long dark lashes, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the one person who couldn't be there, beaming back up at her. But he was from another world, another time, and would probably not bother with such petty things like Romeo and Juliet plays.

This was her last thought as the velvet came into her view.

And all the time, a snowy barn owl watched , poised outside on the willow tree, with its head cocked to one side, and a mischievous glint in it's eyes.

--

"C'mon! What do you say we all go for a drink?"

Everybody had either hugged or in Toby's case, clung to her, and there was a lot of positive feedback of the performance. But her closest friends wanted to have a bit more fun, as a celebratory victory to her first opening night, and a great success, to that. Everyone knew she had been working so hard to get the role, and when she did, she put all her heart and soul into it, her efforts not going to waste, the dramatic and well rehearsed lines and show a pleasure for all to see and remembered for a time.

Even Sarah thought she deserved a night of heavy bass music and crowded bodies dancing to the beat. Finally convinced by her entire family, she let her friends drag her towards the club, and grumbling, she obliged, but not before they changed her into something more...clubbing acceptable.

They raided the costume department.

Sarah was now wearing patent black leather pants, and a red halter with a dainty gold chain that criss-crossed across her back. Her hair, that luscious raven flow of dark temptation splayed freely around her face that was still shimmering with stage make up.

Now the only thing missing was... Sarah looked witheringly at her feet, her bare feet, at that. They hadn't been able to find the shoe racks, and Sarah had already turned in her costumes.

But Cindy and Maz had just laughed, saying barefooted was the way to go, in terms of tight, revealing clothing. Annoyed, she padded out into the overheat lit street in the dark, the cold seeping into her toes and she shivered.

The trio laughed and giggled all the way there, getting a lift from Cindy's dad. They were planning to stay late, till after 11, too late to get another lift and decided to all take a taxi home together. Sarah was immersed in conversation but still couldn't ignore the tingling that had began to start in her bare toes.

--

"Have a good'un ladies" said the bouncer as he stepped aside, letting them in

They were blown away but the loud, thumping music that hit them as soon as they opened the entrance doors. Bodies were everywhere, hips gyrating against each other to the groove, arms were flailing in the air, heads thrown back in pleasure.

The atmosphere was hung heavy with the one thing-sex.

And it was easy to be engulfed in it. Too easy. Anxious, Sarah tightened her grip on Cindy and Maz, making sure she wasn't lost in the crowd. They fought through and eventually found a table to the side, although surrounded by couples that seemed to engaged in a little more than just dancing.

"And what would you ladies like on a good night like this?" cut in the cool drawl of the handsome bartender.

"Two Green Vespers, with extra shots of vodka" replied Maz

"Excellent choice...and what about you, raven hair?"

Sarah blushed. "I'm not too fussed about mocktails, would you have ice mocha-"

"She'll have the same as us" Maz grinned as she placed a fifty on the counter.

Sarah made a face but shrugged, thinking a little bit of alcohol would warm her up nicely on a cold night and put her up to the mood.

She smiled and leaned back to the heavy beat of the music.

Little did she know what she was getting into, that the night club was much more than it appeared to and that the night... oh the night was going to be anything but cold.

--oOo--

Thats it for this chappie, I was going to make it a oneshot, but i'm too darn tired, a double shift at work tomorrow and a ton of studies to do.

But please review, suggest or criticise me so I know how it's doing and the quicker the next chappies on!

_Viel danke_, many thanks


	2. Chapter 2

2 reviews! (and a whole lotta alerts)

Well.. what can i say

:)

Enjoy the show.

--oOo--

The three girls chatted avidly, talking about graduation and classes and the like.

"I'm going for a degree of psychology, maybe then take up teaching"

"Oh Sarah you must continue theatre, it would be such a pity...

So absorbed were they in conversation to notice the bartender slip a white pill into one of the exotic glasses, the handsome eyes of the bartender watching in satisfaction as the white substance dissolved in the gold liquid.

"Such a pity..."

The words echoed in her head, but she shook them off with a frown of annoyance.

"Here you go, ladies" cut in the smooth voice of the bartender.

3 tall cocktail glasses were handed to them, bubbling gold liquid each topped with a lime. But as he placed the glass in front of Sarah, she began to feel uneasy.

She looked down upon her enticing glass, having a mental debate, but was shook out of it by Maz' sipping, and exclamation of how good it tasted. Not wanting to seem like a wimp, I mean she _had _battled a horde of goblins and resisted a _king, _a sexy one at that. Wait..._what?_ These last words were lost to her as was the liquid that Sarah had lifted off the table and poured down her throat.

It had a viscous texture, and caressed her throat all the way down. It tasted bitter-sweet, with a tinge of bubbling cider. It tasted of pomegranates and grapefruit and all the flavours of the spring and summer blooms. When it reached her stomach, she felt her body instantly come ablaze and fire up in a myriad of emotions, her face flushing. It was like a sugar hit, but a thousand times more effective. She suddenly felt too hot in the room.

"I told you it was good" grinned Cindy

"_You have no idea..._"

"Haha, I guess you guys were right about this stuff"

They were soon engaged in conversation, while the man across the counter straightened, smiled and nodded a curt nod and gave a signal to someone in the distance, then returning to cleaning the champagne flutes, but this time, with a self-appeased , almost wicked grin etched on the dark features of his face.

"Mhmm hmmn..." Sarah was tuning out, reaching for her intoxicating drink, not being able to resit the sweet, tangy flavour. Her eyes fluttered closed and she tipped her head back ever so slightly, while raising the elegant crystal class to her lips.

She let it travel slowly this time, letting the cool sensation run down her throat like a bubbling brook..

She took a second sip, and her blood travelled harder and faster through her veins

Craving the sensation, she tipped the glass further for another mouthful.

This time, the world faded around her.

She took a third sip, and Cindy's laughter died in midair.

She took a fourth, and her heart beat all the faster, pumping a racing rhythm, A wild bird breaking free.

On the fifth, her breathing became more laboured.

Moving out of control now, she sipped a sixth and she thought she could hear a throaty laugh in the crevices of her mind, and a whisper in her ear.

"_Sarahhh._."

Her eyes snapped open as she almost slammed the delicate glass on the lounging table. She tried to calm her erratic breathing as she tried to recollect her thoughts. What was that voice? Why was she so flustered?

She was only dimly aware of the music and dancing aroud her, and Maz' pitch of voice.

Disoriented, she stared down upon the incriminating drink, only to find there was none.

The tall, brimmed to the top cocktail glass was now empty.

Sarah gasped. _She finished it?_

Mind and heart racing, she thought hard to recall what she was doing when enjoying the drink and how she had finished it in such a short time, and most importantly what it was _doing_ to her.

--oOo--

Above the trio, in the VIP gold pass velvet lounges, a tall man in a strikingly well cut suit and tie sat, one leg hoisted over the other, in a imposing and majestic pose.

He chuckled softly to himself, while swirling his own exotic concotion.

There ya go.

_Please_ review guys, i cant continue to write without even knowing how the stories even going!

-pulls at hair-

Hate it, Love it, Pondering it, tell me all about it!

Thankyou


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